What devalues human life? Our times are undoubtedly
characterized by a lack of respect for the dignity of the human person.
Many who proclaim the culture of life fault the free market for
devaluing human life. It is thought that the market reduces people to
mere economic actors, valued only for their earning potential or their
productive capacity. However, this misunderstanding of the market
economy hinders our allies against the forces that degrade the human
person. Let us reflect on the interaction, tension, and ultimate
reconciliation of the culture of the market and the culture of life more
deeply.
The market strengthens the
culture of life and its moral order in three important ways. First, the
market promotes peace among people. From the simplest to the most
complex market exchanges, they all have one thing in common: people
trading voluntarily with each other to their mutual self-satisfaction.
Second, the market offers people the best opportunities to employ their
creative gifts and become full participants in society, thus obeying
God's command to work and create. In contrast, legal barriers and
perverse incentives erected by government prevent people from entering
the workforce and keep many from perfecting their abilities and becoming
a vital part of society's division of labor. Third, the free market
promotes the material betterment of humanity. For example, it has
brought modern medicine, electricity, running water, and, now,
information access to an ever-broadening segment of the world
population.
It is unfortunate and highly
dangerous that many of the market's most eloquent advocates often
overlook the moral foundations of freedom. To those who might be tempted
to think that society can revolve around the bank statement, the
culture of life delivers a message: Base motives can also exist within a
market economy. There are values higher than profit and market success,
among which is the preeminent value of life itself. What we propose,
then, is a free economy that puts the human person at the center of
economic actions because the human person is the source of all economic
initiative. The market, imbued with freedom and virtue, is a necessary
ally for a social order that respects human dignity.
Source: Acton Institute
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